One Year Later
by sakuraheartz
Summary: For a long time, I’ve been living, having forgotten about you. For a while I thought I was doing fine. However, I started to realize, as time passed by, that I'm nothing without you. So I just repress the feelings and one year has passed like that.


**One Year Later**

**Disclaimer: **I failed art class. I don't know how to draw. Much less the cute Gakuen Alice characters.

**Inspirations: **One Year Later by Jessica (SNSD) and Onew (SHINee)

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Natsume Hyuuga stood on the street corner, watching a crumpled ball of paper float down the river of rainwater in the gutter. The rain pounded down on his head, making it hurt even worse than it already did. He sighed in exhaustion and raked his already wet and messy raven hair.

Meetings. Negotiations. Office politics. All of it crowded his mind.

Then he looked up and scanned the crowd that was walking across the zebra crossing. His crimson eyes caught a red umbrella in the gloom. Her face was hidden, but a sense of familiarity hit him. Natsume watched as her brown hair swayed at her back as she tried to keep her overcoat away from the pouring rain.

Natsume pulled out the necklace he was wearing and stared at the familiar orange pendant. He held the stone in his hand, remembering the girl that he had helplessly fallen in love with during high school. They had the matching pendant except her necklace had crimson stone. But after graduation, he had convinced himself that it was just a high school crush and they needed to go their own way.

Natsume remembered when they talked about their future careers under the Sakura tree. How she wanted to be a famous journalist and in turn, Natsume said that he wanted to be a billionaire business tycoon. They did not need words to tell each other that they were going to end the relationship as soon as graduation came. And when it did, they parted with a single handshake and promises that they would meet again sometime in the future. No hugs, no kisses—nothing.

Natsume was then immediately accepted to work in a multi-million dollar company for selling the latest technologies available in the country. He worked his way up, working his butt off. Day and night, he gained more profit for the company, and his boss' trusts. Here he was, one year after, as the Vice-President of the Alice Corporation.

At first, he was thrilled about his speedy success but as time passed, his work piled up like a mountain and he had very little time for himself. He even missed his sister's birthday. Though Aoi forgave him for that, Natsume still felt guilty for he had never forgotten his own sister's birthday before.

And then there was this hole in his heart; the feeling of loneliness suddenly consumed him. Natsume found himself thinking about the brunette. For a while, he thought that he was doing fine but as time passed by, he realized that he needed her by his side. It was cliché, he knew that but he missed her so much.

Natsume sometimes saw her small articles on the _Celebrity _magazine. She had her own column and adviced people about their love life and other problems like drug addictions or a child dealing with their divorced parents. Sometimes, he would find himself buying the magazine and read it in the office, not minding the stares he got from his co-workers. So what if the magazine was for women? Damn sexist! He had no confidence in overcoming the endless regret when he let her go, so he just repressed that feeling to himself. One year passed just like that.

Natsume found himself wishing that they could go back to their first day; to the beautiful, happy loving days where those heart-breaking stories and vain arguments lie. He snapped out of his thought when someone bumped into his shoulder, causing his briefcase to fall open and the paperwork to fall down on the wet cement floor. He cursed as he watched the person apologized and ran off to the other direction.

Natsume sighed and then started to pick up the papers and threw it to the nearest bin. "It looks like I'm going to pull an all-nighter again tonight," he sighed and then bent to pick up his pen. Before he could do so, Natsume came face to face with a red umbrella in front of him as the person picked up the pen. He immediately recognized her as the lady who was crossing the crosswalk. When the person lifted her umbrella, revealing her face to face him, Natsume's mouth went a little dry.

Her long chestnut hair framed her heart-shaped face and he stilled as those familiar brown eyes stared back to his crimson ones. Time seemed to slow. Natsume felt his heart pump faster and faster. He didn't care if people looked at him like a complete idiot; glued to his spot with a soaked trench coat like he was a homeless person. "Mikan," he said.

Mikan stepped closer to him so that they were both sharing the umbrella. Her scent –God her scent! She was wearing her favorite perfume –Fragaria Vesca. The smell teased his nose even under the heavy rain. He closed his eyes and inhaled the scent, afraid that it was just another one of those dream he had about her.

"Hey Natsume," she replied happily and that was when he was convinced that she was real. That she was there beside him. "It's been a year."

Natsume let out a small smile and then he said, "Are you busy? We can stop by this great café I know across the street…and we can talk there?" He was hoping that she'd say yes and when she did, he rejoiced mentally and then he led her to the said café.

So many questions to ask and "how has your one year been" was one of them. No matter how many seasons passed and how many years go by, they both knew that their love would always be the same for each other.

**..The End…**

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I'm taking a break from writing for a while. Too much drama, nuff' said. Thanks for Nicky for recommending me to watch the song vid on youtube. I blame her because she is the reason that I spent my sleepless night thinking about writing this fic. Hmm, anyway, if you need to reach me, you can either PM me or follow me on twitter (the link is on my proffy) ;)

Constructive critism is very much welcome!


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